Our Forest School Intent Statement:
"To encourage and inspire children through positive outdoor experiences, teaching pupils about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others."
Mrs Wellard, Forest School Lead
At St James the Great Academy we are very fortunate to have a Forest School on-site.
Forests schools promote holistic development in children, fostering resilient, confident, independent, and creative learners.
Forest School enables children to enjoy the freedom of the outdoors. They can explore nature in the safety of a secure site overseen by a qualified Forest School Practitioner. As well as the guided activities it is important that children are given their own time to partake in child-led activities to play and develop naturally without any time constraints. Play is essential for a child's physical and emotional growth; intellectual and educational development and learning social and behavioural skills.
Forest School play enables children to have fun and keep physically healthy. There are risk benefits associated with this type of play: climbing trees, rolling logs. Children learn to challenge themselves, make their own choices by following their instincts and become more aware of how to keep themselves safe.
Our remarkable Forest School Curriculum in action...
Gross motor skill development
Creativity & Artistic Skills